By Richard Immel
USA Wrestling

Two-time World bronze medalist Kylie Welker (Iowa City, Iowa/Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC) has accepted her automatic bid to 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, and will battle for the women’s freestyle 76 kg spot on the 2026 U.S. World Team. Final X is set for Friday, June 19 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. 

The 22-year-old Welker has earned back-to-back bronze medals at the Senior World Championships, with her most recent coming last September in Zagreb, Croatia, which automatically qualified her for Final X. 

Welker is among the next wave of U.S. women’s wrestlers who are making an impact on the Senior level and are expected to contend for an Olympic Team in 2028. In addition to her Senior Worlds success, Welker is a five-time age-group World medalist, with a pair of gold medals from the U23 World Championships (2024, 2025) and a gold medal from the U20 World Championships (2021). 

She is a three-time women’s college national champion, having just completed her junior campaign for the University of Iowa. Welker was the 180-pound champion at the inaugural NCAA Women’s Wrestling Championships held in March. 

What’s at stake at Final X?  

Final X will determine the 2026 U.S. Senior World Team in two-of-three international disciplines—men’s freestyle and women’s freestyle. In total, 20 weight classes will be contested, 10 in each discipline. The top two U.S. athletes in each weight class will wrestle a best-of-three series at Final X to determine the U.S. representative for the 2026 Senior World Championships in Manama, Bahrain. 

Who will Welker face at Final X? 

The Final X opponent for Welker will be determined on April 24 at the U.S. Open in Las Vegas, Nevada. The women’s freestyle 76 kg champion from the U.S. Open will advance to face Welker in a best-of-three series at Final X. 

Beat the Streets New York Annual Benefit 

Final X will serve as the 2026 Beat the Streets New York Annual Benefit, its 16th to date. These unique electrifying events help BTSNY raise critical funds each year to support local youth wrestling programs, which empower young people in New York City. The BTSNY Annual Benefit after-party takes place at the conclusion of Final X. 

This year will mark Welker’s third appearance in a BTSNY Annual Benefit event. In 2023, Welker won a U.S. National Team true-third match over Dymond Guilford at 76 kg. She also defeated Guilford two matches to none in last year’s Final X series. 

Get Tickets 

BTSNY Annual Benefit tickets and sponsorship packages, which include access to premier seating at Final X, plus the exclusive after-party, are currently available at btsny.org. For more information on ticket packages, email BTSNY Executive Director Bob Seidel at bseidel@btsny.org. Donations and BTSNY Annual Benefit tickets and sponsorship packages directly help BTSNY make a lifelong impact on New York City youth in need. 

Event-only tickets for Final X without access to the BTSNY after-party celebration are available on Ticketmaster. 

Event Schedule 

12:30 p.m. (ET) – U.S. National Team true-third matches

2 p.m. (ET) – Session one (Round one)

5 p.m. (ET) – Session two (Rounds two and three, if necessary)

Match order for each session will be provided at a later date 

How To Watch 

FloWrestling will serve as the host broadcast partner for Final X. Fans can watch the event live or on-demand at FloWrestling.com. Online results for Final X will be available on USA Bracketing. 

For more information about Final X, please visit TheMat.com. 

2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, Qualifiers (As of April 3, 2026) 

June 19 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey  

Men’s Freestyle 

None 

Women’s Freestyle 

68 kg – Kennedy Blades (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC/Titan Mercury WC)

76 kg – Kylie Welker (Iowa City, Iowa/Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC)